Automatically-adjustable knives for use with rubber-working



F. A. scnwmz.

-' v AUTOMATICALLY ADJUSTABLE-KNIVES FOR USE WITH RUBBER WQRKENGEALENDERS.

APPLICATIGN FILED FEB. 10. I92].

Patented Jim 14, 1921.

7 4 the fabric or cord.

PATE T OFFICE.

FRED A. SCHWARTZ, E BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATICALLY-ADJUSTABLE KNIVES FOR USE wrrrr RUBBER-WORKING CALENDERS.

To all whom it concern:

Be it known that I, FRED A. SCHWARTZ, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city of Brooklyn and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatically-Adjustable Knives for Use with Rubber-Working Calenders, of which the following is a specification. I

The invention relates to an improved apparatus that is adapted more particularly to provide a'simple, eflicient, and automatically operated device of. this character with which fabric or cord, such as is em- 1 ployed in the construction of casings for pneumatic tire tubes, may be expeditiously and economically frictioned.

'Frictioned as the term is employed in this specification is the process of applying rubber compound to the surface of the surface of the fabric orcord referred to in the foregoing paragraph.

The process of frictioning the fabric is accomplished by passing the rubber compound between the two upper of three revolving cylinders that' are positioned on the same vertical plane, and causing the rubber compound to be applied to the upper surface of the fabric or cord that is caused to pass between thetwo lower of the three revolving cylinders. r Y

It will be readily comprehended, that to accomplish this process in an efficient and accurate manner, it is necessary that the width of calendered rubber compound that is lifted from the surface of the central calendaring cylinder, and thus transferred to the fabric or cord,'be precisely the same in width as the'fabric or cord. Also it is 0 highly important, that the desired width of manipulate the knives which contact with the surface of the central revolving cylinder, the function of the knives being to separate the" surplus rubber compound from the desired width thatis to be transferred to-the surface of the fabric or cord by the Specification of Letters Patent. P t t June 14,, 1921 Application filed February 10, 1921. Serial No. 443,916.

pressure exerted upon the fabric by the revolving calendering cylinders.

With my invention in use, better and more accurate results are obtainable, and without the aid of expensive manual labor.

,With this object in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, and comblnation of parts as hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical cross section of a rubber working calender, illustrating the direction of revolution of the 'calendering cylinders, and, the relative position of the parts that control the movement of the fabric or cord.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the improved apparatus.

Fig. 8 is a side view of one of two similar knives supporting members, and a fragmentary cross section of the central calendering cylinder, illustrating the method of contacting the knives and the surface of the cylinder. 3

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of a grooved collar that is mounted upon a hollow cylinder or sleeve, which receives and is supported by a length of shafting; also a sectional fragment of the horizontal'length of the hollow cylinder and shafting therein.

Fig. 5 is an edge, and Fig. 6 a side view of the slotted collar.

The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows Referring to Fig. 1, the numerals 1, 2, and 3 indicate the calenderin'g cylinders of the calender. The fabric that is in proper position to be frictioned is indicated by the numeral 4. The arrows 5, 5, 5, indicate the direction of the revolution of the calendering cylinders 1, 2, 3, and the arrows 6, 6, the direction in which the fabric is. caused to pass between thecylinders.

That the simplicity of adaption to itsini tended use of my improved apparatus may bemore readily comprehended, it may beremarked, that to properly and conveniently manipulate the fabric or cord while it is being calendered, all calenders intended for this proved apparatus, as the apparatus as described in this specification cooperates with, but does not take the place of the regular equipment.

Referring to the roller (or shafting) 8, the function of which is to support and aline the fabric with the horizontal surfaces -of the calendering cylinders 2 and 3, in the improved equipment the length of shafting 8 is placed within a hollow cylinder or sleeve 9. With the parts so arranged, the hollow cylinder or sleeve necessarily Supports the fabric or cord as it' is being advanced by the revolving calendering cylinders 2 and 3. The hollow cylinder 9 carries the slotted collars 10, 10, which maybe adjusted and secured at' any desired position upon'the lengthof the hollow cylinder by causing the thumb-screws 12 and 18, to contact with the surface of the hollow cylinder.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated the means-I prefer to employ to secure the proper contact of the knives upon the'surface of tlie calendering cylinder.

The hollow stem 14, which receives the stem15, to' whichthe cutting knives 16 are attached, terminates in a fork 17 that is adapted to engage the circumferentially directed groove 18 in the collar 10 that is carried by the hollow cylinder 9 which is supported by, and revolves with, or upon the length of shafting 8. The stem 15 having free movement within the hollow stem 14 may beadjus ted so as to=contactthe cutting knives 16, and the surface of the calendering cylinder 2, as indicated. The proper-tension is secured by the action of coil springs 19, andmaintained by the proper adjustment of the collar 20.

The operatioirof the improved automatically adjustable knives is as follows :Iteferring to the fabricor cord that is indicated by the numeral 4, Fig. 1, by an ar rangement of friction brakes that are a part of the regular equipment of the calender, the fabric when beingdrawn forward by the V revolving.calendering cylinders is kept taut.

This necessarily results in there being a positi've contactof the'surface of the hollow cylinder and the advancing fabric by which the revolution of the hollow cylinder is effected,

but, as the hollow cylinder is free to revolve upon or" with the shafting, the taut fabric is not resisted in its forward movement by the hollow cylinder.

It is desired now to particularly direct attention to the" fact, that as-thefabric is unwoundfrom the roll 21,- by the revolving calel'ideri'ng cylinders, the advancing width of fabric is inclinedto pass between the horizontal surfaces o'ftherevolving cylinders on i an irregular plane.

Thatis by reasonof irregular winding of the fabric, and varlous-other causes, it is practically impossible to advance the fabric so as to keep the edges in alinement with knives that are supported and kept in contact with the'revolving calendering cylinders by apparatus that is rigidly secured in its operative position. l/Vith my improved apparatus in use, by reason of the hollow cylinder 9 having a positive contact with the taut fabric or cord, and by reason of the hollow cylinder having free play upon the shafting 8 in the direction of the horizontal plane of the calendering cylinders, it follows that any irregular movement of the advancing width of fabric will shift the hollow cylinder a corresponding distance, thereby causing the cutting knives that contactwith the central revolving calendering cylinder to be shifted a corresponding distance upon the horizontal plane of the cylinder from which the rubber compound is lifted by the advancing fabric or cord. Thus, by the means just described, the knives are automatically adjusted and kept in true .alinement with: the edges of the fabric or cord as it is advanced in the direction of the revolution ofthecylinders; r

I- claim as my invention:

1. In automatically adjustable knivessup porting apparatus for use with calenders that are. adaptedito calender rubber compounds, the combination'of a hollow cylin der or sleeve that-is ada'pted to encompass a length of shafting, the said length of shafting being extensive therefrom, and ,sup ported in horizontal position by meansof suitable bearingsthat receive'the-extending ends, the said bearings being secured to the vertical frameor side standards of thesaid calender, and so positioned as to aline the upper horizontal surface of the said hollow .of revolving calendering cylinders,- a horizcntal length of shaftingthat carries and upon which the" said hollow cylinder or sleeve is caused to revolve by the-forward movement of the said fabrie'or cordthatis 1'20 "effected by the revolution of the calendering cylinders, the momentarily positive contact of the fabric orc'ord functioning to transfer 'to'the said hollow cylinder or sleeve the ir regular transverse movement of the said 1'25 fabricpr' cord. *1 7 3. In automatically adjustable knivessupporting apparatus for use with calenders that are adapted to calender rubber compounds, the combination of a-horizontally directed length of shafting, a hollow cylinder or sleeve that is adapted to encompass the said length of shafting, grooves centrally positioned in the outer peripheries of collars that are slidably mounted upon the said hollow cylinder or sleeve, means to aline and support the said shafting, and hollow stem members that terminate in forked members that are adapted to be received by the said grooves.

4. In automatically adjustable knives supporting apparatus for use with calenders that are adapted to calender rubber compounds, the combination of knives supporting members that terminate in stems that are adapted to be received by hollow stems carried by forked members which engage circumferentially directed grooves in the outer peripheries of collars that are slidably mounted and capable of being rigidly secured at a determined position upon a hollow cylinder or sleeve that has free horizontal movement upon a horizontally di rected length of shafting, rubber compounds cutting knives, that are carried by the said knives supporting members, and coil springs that are adapted to contact the said rubber compounds cutting knives and the surface of the revolving calendering cylinder by exerting pressure upon the said forked members that is reacted by the knives supporting members to provide tension between the revolving grooved collars and the contacting knives, as substantially described.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

FRED. A. SCHWARTZ.

Witnesses:

W. A. Comr, J OHN R. STALEY. 

